Job fair planned Wednesday for military spouses

Published: Friday, August 15, 2014 at 10:40 AM.

Military spouses searching for employment will be able to take advantage of an upcoming job fair aboard Camp Lejeune.

Hiring Our Heroes Camp Lejeune, an event aimed at helping military spouses network and land jobs, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 20 at the Marston Pavilion on base. The event is open to spouses of all active duty service members, Guard, Reserves, veterans and retirees.

Sarah Worley, the military spouse program manager for Hiring Our Heroes, said local businesses and members of the chamber of commerce are among vendors who will be participating at the event.

“There are over 30 employers registered,” Worley said. “And of course (employers) go through a tough vetting process. They have to send us job descriptions in advance so we know if it will be a good fit for spouses.”

A networking reception one day prior to the job fair will also be part of the event, Worley said. She said spouses will be able get the additional help they need before attending the event.

“They can attend the reception to have a professional look at their resume one day before and to give them that extra blessing,” she said. “Ultimately it would give spouses a boost of confidence.”

Worley said the networking reception also gives spouses the chance to practice introducing themselves to prospective employers during the hiring fair.

Military spouses searching for employment will be able to take advantage of an upcoming job fair aboard Camp Lejeune.

Hiring Our Heroes Camp Lejeune, an event aimed at helping military spouses network and land jobs, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 20 at the Marston Pavilion on base. The event is open to spouses of all active duty service members, Guard, Reserves, veterans and retirees.

Sarah Worley, the military spouse program manager for Hiring Our Heroes, said local businesses and members of the chamber of commerce are among vendors who will be participating at the event.

“There are over 30 employers registered,” Worley said. “And of course (employers) go through a tough vetting process. They have to send us job descriptions in advance so we know if it will be a good fit for spouses.”

A networking reception one day prior to the job fair will also be part of the event, Worley said. She said spouses will be able get the additional help they need before attending the event.

“They can attend the reception to have a professional look at their resume one day before and to give them that extra blessing,” she said. “Ultimately it would give spouses a boost of confidence.”

Worley said the networking reception also gives spouses the chance to practice introducing themselves to prospective employers during the hiring fair.

“It’s not easy to walk in and engage with so many employers at the same time,” she said. “It’s a tough process but the reception offers many different facets for spouses.”

Spouses who are not actively looking for employment would be able to benefit from the job fair as well, Worley said.

“There will be volunteer opportunities too,” she said. “I know local businesses could create fellowships or internships.”

Worley said Hiring Our Heroes previously hosted a similar event in 2012 on Camp Lejeune and added that the organization aims to make the hiring fair an annual event for the local community.

“Part of our goal is to help educate and bring awareness to employment challenges for spouses,” she said. “I get messages on LinkedIn as a result of spouses attending the job fair ... It’s by far the most rewarding.”

The networking reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the Marston Pavilion. Register for the reception and the job fair at hiringourheroes.org. Walk-ins on the day of the fair are also welcome.